Decorated fabric.



. r a new Jo'snri-I RIHA, or NEW'JYOBK'N. -Y., ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF"TO EUGENEL.manna, or

NEW'YORK, n. Y.

DEGORA'IED FABRIC.

No Drawing.

To all whomz't may concern:

Be it known that I, JosErI-I RIHA, a subject of the Emperor of Austria-Hungary, residing at New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Decorated Fabrics, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Heretofore it has not been possible, so far as I am aware, to produce upon velvet, canvas, silk, and other fabrics gilded figures or designs by burnishing or otherwise because such compositions as it has been attempted to use always penetrated the pores of the fabric and when they became hard or set the slightest wrinkling of the fabric would cause the hard material either to crack and fall therefrom or produce a similar cracking of the fabric.

y invention has for its object to overcome these difiiculties and to produce upon velvet, canvas, silk, leather and other soft and flexible fabrics, figures or designs of all kinds, while leaving the fabrics, after the completion of the treatment, in a condition in which they, with the figures or designs thereupon, may be readily folded or rolled for transportation or storage and not be impaired thereby. Such tapestries and the like may be used in decorating the interior of residences, theaters, and churches. In addition to producing decorations for such large structures, my invention can be practised in producing designs of a size that may be used for table covers, coverings for furniture, mantle pieces, screen's, and in fact in producing all kinds of designs upon all sizes of such fabrics.

A further important object of my invention is to form a background or body for the reception of the gold or silver leaf or powder which will permit of the ready and easy burnishing of the gold or silver and give it a brilliant shine.

My process consists in first treating the part of the velvet or other fabric upon which the design is to be formed with a coating or covering of a mixture of clay and gelatin which is in a plastic state. I prefer to have the mixture warm when it is applied and the preferred proportion in which the mixture is used is three parts clay to one of gelatin. The gelatin is, of course, dissolved in water. The coating does not penetrate the material but adheres to the outer surface of the Specification of Letters Patent.

natenteaoct. '24., acre.

Applicaticnfiled. June 12, 19.14. SerialNo. 844,806.

velvet or other fabric, thereby forming a body .Which stands out in relief upon the fabric, and upon which gold or silver leaf or gold or bronze powder is later applied. In practice I have obtained good results by applying three successive coatings of this mixture, which give the desired background. I prefer to have each coating dry before the succeeding coating is applied.

Secondly, water gold size is applied to the body already formed. In practice I have obtained good results by applying three successive coatings of the water gold size. Each coating of this liquid is permitted to dry before the succeeding coating is applied.

After the water gold size has been applied, I prefer to rub the surface already formed with a hard dry brush in order to remove any roughness from the surface.

"Thirdly, I apply the gold or silver leaf or gold or bronze powder mixed with gelatin. In order to apply the gold or silver leaf, the surface of the relief is dampened or wet with water or other liquid.

Fourthly, the gold or silver leaf or gold or bronze powder is burnished to give a glossy or brilliant appearance thereto. I prefer to do the burnishing with agate stone.

After the burnishing operation is completed, I prefer to remove any particles of dust that may remain upon the surface of the design and to apply a protecting coating of material such as alcohol varnish.

So far as I am aware, there is no other known process by which the result which I have obtained can be accomplished.

lVhat I claim is 1. As a new article of manufacture, an ornamental fabric consisting of a fabric in a flexible condition, having a relief thereupon composed of clay and gelatin, a layer of water gold size upon the relief, and an or namental metal surface on the size.

2. As a new article of manufacture, an ornamental fabric consisting of a fabric in a flexible condition, carrying a plurality of layers of a mixture of clay and gelatin in the form of a relief, a layer of water gold size thereupon, and an ornamental surface carried thereby.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a velvet-like fabric retaining its flexibility, a coating thereupon in the form of a relief composed of clay and gelatin, a layer of water gold size upon said' relief, and a layer of metal carried thereby, the entire fabric coating comprising gelatin and clay carried 1) and design thereupon remaining flexible. thereupon in the form of a relief, and metal 4. A new article of manufacture comprisleaf permanently attached to said relief. ing a flexible fabric, a relief thereupon com- In testimony whereof I aflix my signature I posed of a mixture including clay and gelain the presence of two subscribin witnesses. tin, a layer of water gold size on said relief, J OSEPI- RIHA. a metal carried by said size, and a protective Witnesses: I layer of varnish. THOMAS J. BYRNE, 5. A flexible fabric, a non-brittle plastic JOHN B. MCGUIRE.

Copies of this patentmay be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner 01' Patento Washington, D. C. 

